"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:5

Thursday, August 30, 2012

EQUIPPED, NOT INADEQUATE

But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position. James 1:9

Are you plagued with nagging self-doubt? You review your humble beginnings, your lack of experience, and/or your failures and before long, you lose your nerve for the calling of God on your life. Add to that the fact that any holy calling is God-sized, not human-sized, and you have the makings of a private panic attack. No wonder you often slip into what others expect of you. Their model serves as a make-shift womb. Few ever push their way out into the world to discover what God has dreamed for them.

James speaks of how we are to perceive ourselves if, by worldly perception, we are void of impressive credentials. When we are little, we are big in Christ. When weak, powerful in God's might. When foolish, wise in the Spirit.

What if we believe we are disqualified by past failures? What if those memories haunt us and replay in our minds like a well-worn DVD? We should remember Peter - the one who felt like he was the last one who could ever be Christ's ambassador. He failed His best friend miserably. Yet it was Jesus who said, "Don't be worried and upset." (John 14:1) This, he was told, just before he denied Jesus; not just once in the course of a night, but three times. Picture this. On the third time, Jesus saw him say the words and their eyes met across the courtyard.

Every time we review our past and decide that our mistakes nullify a good spiritual resume, we render the cross anemic. We say to a powerful, risen Lord, "You can't redeem this. It is beyond Your ability to transform." Our greatest need is believing faith. Disbelief kills our future and leaves us diminished and pessimistic. Believing that God is who He says He is, and that He can do what He says He can do, makes for confident and purpose driven disciples.

I am mighty in You, mighty in every way because it's not about me or my ability. It's all about who has equipped me from before the foundation of the world. Because of that, I can not fail to accomplish my life's calling. Amen